Fast bikes, have you been experiencing one?

Have you experienced that you test ride a bike, a bike that is, or feels much faster than what you've been riding before?
If you have, what did you conclude was different with this bike compared to the others you've been riding?

I was thinking of something simillar yesterday, about the road bikes I own. I have one that is definitely slower than another. Even when ai think I'm going pretty well on the 'slower' bike, my Strava nubers tell a different story.

I think the reason is that more aggressive positioning on the 'faster' bike yields aero advantages that translates to more speed.

New bikes, though, always feel faster because they're new and exciting.

Been test riding quite a few bikes recently and the fastest feeling one to date I think is probably the Bianchi sempre pro. If I had to take a guess at why it would be the absolutely giant BB area it had compared to all the other bikes I've tried.

I think it comes down to geometry. I test rode four bikes before buying mine, and the CAAD 10 just felt way more responsive than the other bikes. I only did a mile or so on each bike, so it didn't take long to notice the difference.

Been test riding quite a few bikes recently and the fastest feeling one to date I think is probably the Bianchi sempre pro. If I had to take a guess at why it would be the absolutely giant BB area it had compared to all the other bikes I've tried.

I doubt it is the BB; it is probably your position on that bike.

"Don’t argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and beat you with experience".

I matched my position close enough to a different bike that I rode in the same store and the Sempre definitely felt faster. Top end cruising speed probably wasn't much different but that's not the type of speed you feel the most. Differences in acceleration are more noticeable and this bike launched like nothing else I've tried so far when you stomped on the pedals. Only thing I can put that down to is drive chain stiffness and looking at the tubes around the bottom bracket they were huge.

The placebo effect refers to the phenomenon in which some people experience some type of benefit after the administration of a placebo. A placebo is a substance with no known medical effects, such as sterile water, saline solution or a sugar pill. In short, a placebo is a fake treatment that in some cases can produce a very real response. The expectations of the patient play an important role in the placebo effect; the more a person expects the treatment to work, the more likely they are to exhibit a placebo response

You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.

My light-weight wheels (mostly lighter tires) made for a noticeably... faster to accelerate bicycle. My lighter bicycles are only very slightly (marginally) faster on a normal 20 mile ride (mostly the slightly faster speed is gained on hills... I believe).

For example, a bike with a short wheelbase will have a smaller turn circle, which in turn makes the bike feel more responsive. This will give the impression that it's faster, but actually has nothing to do with the efficiency of the bike.

Similarly, a bike with aero wheels may be a pound or so heavier than one with lightweight box rims, but will in fact be faster in almost all circumstances. It won't feel faster but will be faster.

The placebo effect refers to the phenomenon in which some people experience some type of benefit after the administration of a placebo. A placebo is a substance with no known medical effects, such as sterile water, saline solution or a sugar pill. In short, a placebo is a fake treatment that in some cases can produce a very real response. The expectations of the patient play an important role in the placebo effect; the more a person expects the treatment to work, the more likely they are to exhibit a placebo response

Exactly.

Remember getting a new pair of "tennis shoes" as a kid, trying them on and running around the store thinking "these are really fast"? Same thing.

Frame stiffness, bike/wheel weight, and BB/hub maintenance can make a dramatic difference in how "fast" a bike is. Mainly when going from a bike that performs poorly in one category to a high end bike that performs well in all categories.

The placebo effect refers to the phenomenon in which some people experience some type of benefit after the administration of a placebo. A placebo is a substance with no known medical effects, such as sterile water, saline solution or a sugar pill. In short, a placebo is a fake treatment that in some cases can produce a very real response. The expectations of the patient play an important role in the placebo effect; the more a person expects the treatment to work, the more likely they are to exhibit a placebo response

Nah...shops put little tiny motors in the bikes. And let a little air out of the tires to make them more comfortable.

I think something many forget is power to weight ratio. Now...I'm talking extremes here but the first time I got on a nimble, sub 20lb road bike vs the heavy, 30+lb comfort bike I had been riding...the thing took off like a rocket when I put some ass into it.

I know the saying of "there are no fast bikes, only fast riders...but that's like saying there are no fast cars, only fast engines.

Putting the hammer down on a 17lb bike with a racing geometry putting you in position for maximum power transfer vs a 36lb comfort bike with an upright position nets a completely different " feel". A lightweight bike takes off like a rocket when you're not used to one...

It's also more stiff, especially in the BB area. Regardless of your beliefs on whether stiff frames transfer power better than less stiff frames (and I do believe it), the stiffer frame responds faster

And finally, it fits me a bit better. The reach on the Littespeed was always just a bit too short

I think something many forget is power to weight ratio. Now...I'm talking extremes here but the first time I got on a nimble, sub 20lb road bike vs the heavy, 30+lb comfort bike I had been riding...the thing took off like a rocket when I put some ass into it.

I know the saying of "there are no fast bikes, only fast riders...but that's like saying there are no fast cars, only fast engines.

Putting the hammer down on a 17lb bike with a racing geometry putting you in position for maximum power transfer vs a 36lb comfort bike with an upright position nets a completely different " feel". A lightweight bike takes off like a rocket when you're not used to one...

I bet Eddie Merxx riding an old 30lb steel bike from back in the day would smoke anyone on this forum riding a modern top of the line super-bike.